Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. (Charles Mingus)

14 July 2009

Gratituesday: It's Great-iTuesday!

I have a friend (ok, I have more than one ... probably). We've been friends a handful of years, having met in college. We both dig on vegan food, sustainability, hugging trees, and Ani DiFranco. We live in different cities, but he's spending the summer in our hometown so we've had many more interactions over the past few weeks than in the months before them. I'm absolutely loving it.

See? Don't we look like we're having fun? (Also, first picture of me on the bloggy. Hello! Hahaha.)

In recent weeks I have been reminded just how absolutely grateful I am for this friend of mine. He listens to my craziness at a table in the sunshine over 4 or 5 too many large coffees. He lets me ramble and work things out with words. He brings me vegan chocolate chip cookies for no reason other than they're tasty. He has been a most perfect resource for the journey I'm on these days, and has been perfectly skilled at keeping his mouth shut about it ... even if it's weird and super-agent-like and makes no rational sense at all. My friend just smiles with knowing eyes and let's me call the shots about what is or isn't yet public knowledge. He accepts my chaotic, list making, contradiction loving (living?) self completely. He's a rockin' guy who loves G-d, people, great music, the planet, bicycles, and Oberon. He remains a constant reminder to me of the way people should be treated, and the world that could be if we all were just a little nicer to each other.

Just yesterday, while waiting in the line to exit the parking lot at church, this friend and I were discussing Gratituesday posts. He suggested this week it should be "Great-ituesday" because ... well, the world is simply that cool. And so, for him, for the impact he has on me, for the doors he's opened in front of my highly skeptical eyes, for loving and laughing and the occasional tray of fabulous tacos ... I am grateful (or GREAT-FULL ... for him).

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Qui?

One girl, on a mission to be responsibly frugal and happy about it.

Printable Coupons ...

On Gratitude ...

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. (Melody Beattie)

On Simplicity ...

I have come to terms with the future. From this day onward I will walk easy on the earth. Plant trees. Kill no living things. Live in harmony with all creatures. I will restore the earth where I am. Use no more of its resources than I need. And listen, listen to what it is telling me. (M.J. Slim Hooey)

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. (Cicero)

On Frugality ...

Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. (Elise Boulding)

New! Track Our Spending!

Check the bottom of this post for updates through the month. Can we do it? Come find out!

Places I Dig ...

So, friends, every day do something that won't compute. Love the L-rd. Love the world. Work for nothing. Take all that you have and be poor. Love someone who does not deserve it. Denounce the government and embrace the flag. Hope to live in that free republic for which it stands. (Wendell Berry)